Tire-chain applier



. 1'7. E Gronenvfi fig 8. QMA A. BY

May 24, 1927.

"r1112: CHAIN APPLIER Original Filed May 17, 1924 1,630,111 a. a: CRONENWETH v V v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 "mar: CHAIN APPLIER Original Filed May 17. 1924 4 51 1 41 2 wrrusss: ATTORNEY .Q v w] wym May 24, 1927. r

E. E; CRONENWETH TIRE CHAIN APPLIER Origihal Filed May 17. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Z. E C r'onenweih/ 2L2 *2 w; INVENTOR ATTORNEY wnwzs. N w

May 24, 1927.

WITNESS:

. 1,630,111 E. E. CRONENWETH ll ll hul Oron enzueih ATTORNEY Patented May 24-, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

EARL GRONENWETH, F GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA.

TIRE-CHAIN APPLIER.

Application filed May 17, 1924, Serial No. 714,119. Renewed November 15, 1926.

My present invention has reference to a means for automatically applying anti-skid chains around the drive wheels of an automobile and clamping the same thereon in a manner as disclosed in my U. S. Patents No. 1387,2317, granted on March 18, 199A, and No. 1,511,657, granted October 14:, 192 1.

My present invention is primarily directed to means for holding the tire chains in the boxes provided therefor and for: permitting the free outward movement there from when engaged by the means on the the chain housing which is removably secured beneath the running boards of the automobile. V

Figure 3is a sectiqnal vien approximately on the line of Figure 2.

Figure 1 is a view substantially similar to Figure 3, but showing the arrangement of parts when .the last side links of the chain are to be engaged by the gripping means therefor on the rear or traction wheel of the machine.

Figure is a sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 2.

a pivotally Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the position of the follower block and the elements associated therewith when the chain has beendrawn off of the rollers carried by said block.

As the means carried by the traction or rear wheels of an automobile which engage the endlinlrsof the anti-skid chain may be of a construction similar to that set forth in my U. S. Patents No. 1,487,317 of March 18, 192 1, and No. 1,511,657, of October 1 1, 1924, a detailed description thereof is not here believed necessary, it being deemed merely necessary to state that headed elements carried on the side members of an anti-skid chain are loosely associated with supported angle lever 1 and are designed, one after the other, to be received in foldable'holding means a block 9.

2 attached to the. on the respective rods 15,

felly of the rear or traction wheel 3 of the automobile i Also the box or housing for the anti-skid chain, indicated in the drawings by the numeral 1, is of a construction substantially similar to my referred to patent applica tion, the same being removably secured but firmly held beneath the running board 5 of the automobile. The housing has its outer end open and to its sides there is pivoted the center of the angle or' bell crank lever 1. It will be noted, as the description progresses, that with my present construction I have eliminated the employment of means for holding th lower transverse elements of the anti-skid chain properly spaced from the upper elements thereof. T he. side members of the anti-skid chain are indicated by the numeral 6 and the transverse or cross chains by the numeral 7. In carrying out my present invention, I arrange the side chains 6 over rollers 8 that are normally retained in the rear of the housing, the chains being trained around the rollers and being engaged by the means on the" arms of the bell crank lever 1, hold the upper andlower leads of the said chain properly spaced.

Fitting snugly in the housing 1 there is The block has secured on its ends the central inwardly bowed portions of flat springs 10. Each of the springs'has its ends curved outwardly and inwardly, asat 11, and these ends exert a frictional contact with the sides of the box. Above the block and normally covering the springs 10 there are angle plates 12 that provide a track for the follower block 9.

Secured on the outer face of the follower block 9, by means 13 there are the flat base portions of rods 15; Each of these rods is pivotally connected, as at 16, to the out Wardly extending short shafts 17 for the rollers 8. Before proceeding further, it is to be stated that the outer or normally confronting flanges of the rollers are so formed to permit of the side element Got the anti-skid chain freely passing thereover when the rollers are swung angularly on their pivots 16, in a manner which will hereinafter be described. The inner flanges of the rollers terminate in flat dislnlike por tions 18, and each of these disks is engaged by a book 19 formed on theouter end of sleeves 20. Each of the sleeves is mounted and each of the ond leads of the chains on the wheels; of means holding the chains folded in the housings and for guiding the chains there through, comprising each a follower block, a track therefor, friction means between the housing and the ends of the follower block, rods on the follower block, rollers pivotally secured to the rods, spring influenced means on the rods to engage with the innerends of the rollers to hold the same right angularly with respect to the follower block but not interfering with the free turning of the rollers, said rollers having guided therearound the side members of the anti-skid chain and designed to be moved with the follower block when the chain is drawn therefrom, and means in the housing contactable with the spring influenced means for releasing the rollers therefrom to permit of the swinging of said rollers to release the chain therefrom when the said chain has been drawn a determined distance through the housings.

3. In combination with an automobile having means on the drive wheels thereof to engage with and fasten thereto the end links of an anti-skid chain, and a housing disposed below each of the running boards of the machine, each for the reception of an anti-skid chain, each of said housings having on the outer side thereof pivotally supported angle elements for engaging the respective end links of the chains, means holding the housings inward of the wheels, spring means for releasing the housings and moving the same in an opposite direction, actuating means for said spring means, and said chain holding means arranged when the spring means is actuated to first arrange one end of the anti-skid chains in one of the wheel engaging and fastening means and upon the turning of the .wheelsto cause the said holding means to be revolved and to bring the second end links of the chains into engaging with the fastening means on the wheels; of means for holding the chains folded in the housing and for guiding the chains when drawn therethrough, each of said means comprising rails on the sides of the housing, a follower block below the rails in the housing and normally sustained at the rear end of the housing, a centrally bowed spring having rounded ends secured to theends of the follower block and bearing against the sides of the housing, rods fixed to the outer face of the follower block adjacent to the ends thereof, a roller pivotally secured on each rod and around which the side members of the chain are trained, a spring influenced sleeve slidable on each rod having a hooked end to engage one flange of each roller, stop elements in the housing adjacent to the outer end thereof contactable with the sleeves when the latter are drawn outwardly with the rollers and follower block by the outward movement of the chain whereby to move the sleeves against the pressure of their springs and to bring the hooks out of engagement with the rollers to permit of the swinging of said rollers and the sliding of the chain oil of said rollers. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EARL E. CRONENWETH. 

